Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the surface chemistry during biocorrosion process on growth and on the production
of exopolymeric substances(EPS)in batch cultures of mix-strains of marine sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB)
isolated from Malaysian Shipyard and Engineering Harbour, Pasir Gudang. The EPS and precipitates were analyzed by
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS results indicate that Fe(2p 3/2)spectrum for iron sulphide can be fitted with Fe(II) and Fe(III) components,both corresponding
to Fe-S bond types.The absence of oxide oxygen in the O(1s) spectrum and Fe(III)-O bond types in the Fe(2p 3/2) spectrum
supports the conclusion that iron sulphides are composed of both ferric and ferrous iron coordinated with monosulphide and disulphide.